What Causes Phobias

What Causes Phobias?

The definitive cause of phobias is a debated issue. It has been commonly held that phobias are the direct result of trauma, most often childhood traumatic experiences. However, there have been studies that reveal the possibility that some people actually learn phobic behavior from their parents. Chemical imbalances in the brain and heredity are also being studied as possible factors in the development of phobias

Nature vs. Nurture

Some phobias appear to be learned behavior. For instance, if a parent demonstrates an overly dramatic response to spiders, their children are likely to follow suit. In contrast, while some parents might be snake lovers or rock climbers, babies almost invariably express fear of snakes and heights. So there is an ongoing contention as to whether some phobias could actually be an exaggerated development of normal fear response instincts. Then there are the cases of some specific phobias such as dendrophobia (fear of trees) and chlorophobia (the fear of the color green), which seem to suggest that they must either be the result of some sort of trauma or chemical imbalance. Much of the medical community is inclined to suggest that phobias are the result of all three of these factors.

Evidence For Contributors to Phobias

Genetic studies have found that twins raised in different environments have developed the same phobias. On the other hand, many people with phobias have no relations who share the same condition. Cultural factors are highlighted by cases of phobias like taijin kyofushu, which is a phobia that occurs almost exclusively in Japan. Subjects who suffer from taijin kyofushu are afraid of causing others embarrassment with their own appearance or behavior. This condition is a stark contrast to the majority of anxiety-related disorders elsewhere, as they are typically based around the embarrassment or discomfort of the individual with the phobia. Childhood trauma is the most commonly held explanation for phobias, and childhood amnesia sometimes leaves those experiencing the phobia with no memory of the initial incident that developed the fear. For example, a grown man may have a phobia of birds due to having been bitten by a bird as a small child. Thirty years later, the man has no recollection of ever having been bitten by a bird, but he is unable to walk by a pigeon on the street.

Combination of Factors for Phobias

It is likely that a combination of all of these factors will create the recipe for the development of a phobia. There is however, no evidence to suggest that any one factor is not enough to create a phobia. Unfortunately, as parents everywhere come to know, the world is not a controlled environment. There really is no way to absolutely prevent your child from experiencing interaction with the innumerable variables of life. The combined influences of genetics, culture and environment leads some people to develop phobias, but there are treatment options available that enable people with phobias to overcome their fears and live healthy and satisfying lives.